The PS3 Games of Winter 2007

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January 16, 2007 - With the holiday season officially over, it's time to look ahead and see what else winter has in store for gamers across the country. Things tend to start slow, of course, but the PS3 will nevertheless see its share of quality titles. Take Virtua Tennis 3 and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, for instance. Both these games have the capacity to keep a gamer indoors for weeks -- the latter for months. Virtua Fighter 5 will also ship in early 2007. And then there's MotorStorm, a game that promises a unique and visceral twist to the racing genre. Apart from the collection of games, gamers will have to wait and see what Sony does in terms of PSP to PS3 connectivity, as well as what features it plans to add through firmware updates. Either way, it's an exciting time.

What to Expect: No longer published by Agetec, FromSoftware's sturdy mech series heads into the next generation under SEGA's banner with a number of notable improvements (besides the obvious graphical boost). A new storyline, original environments, and eight-player simultaneous online battles are among the touted features, as is the inclusion of "Primal Armor" -- a new-fangled defensive shield that adjusts its power according to specific combat situations. As was the case with the rest of the games in the franchise, expect plenty of adjustable machines, more than 30 missions and six different playable factions when Armored Core 4 ships in the first quarter of 2007.

What to Expect: KOEI leaves the ancient battlefields of Japan and China and heads for 14th century Europe instead in Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War. Retelling the story of a century-long struggle for the French throne, this original RTS features a fictional plot based on actual events starring such historical characters as Joan of Arc and "The Black Prince" Prince Edward. Built from the ground up, the game allows users to take control of French and English forces as they command hundreds of archers, infantry, cavaliers, and other military units at once (while also giving them the option to swap sides on a battle-to-battle basis). Expect a character reputation system and unit augmentation too.

What to Expect: If playing with 325 NCAA Division I schools sounds like your idea of good time, then good times will likely be yours with College Hoops 2K7. Besides being powered by the same excellent b-ball engine that fueled NBA 2K7, Hoops uses a variety of exclusive features not found in its professional counterpart. Team Unity, for example, affects the way your team performs, while the chant creator gives users the option to create their own custom hollers for free throws and opposing possessions. Other new modes include an improved legacy feature, 200 authentic fight songs, and advanced uniform customizations and school creations.

What to Expect: What happens when you mix hop music culture with hand-to-hand fighting mechanics? Def Jam: Icon does, apparently. Developed by the Fight Night crew at EA Chicago, the game's focus is to move beyond the more established digital fighting methods, and towards unfamiliar territory... music-based combat. Featuring interactive backgrounds that react to whatever music is playing (thanks to a built-in equalizer), the game challenges players to "fight to the beat" with celebrities such as Ludacris and Big Boi while defeating their opponents by learning the rhythms of their favorite songs. An analog-based battle system, the option to hot-swap songs in the middle of a skirmish, and support for customized soundtracks have also been confirmed.

What to Expect: One of the biggest, most ambitious role-playing games of the year comes to the PlayStation 3 with full 1080p HD support and the all-new sidequest, "Knights of the Nine." But even without this PS3-exclusive content, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion would still be an engaging experience. Following the aftermath of the assassination of Cyrodill's beloved king, Bethesda's original storyline is one of betrayal, heroism and selflessness as Oblivion's players embark on a quest of uncountable gameplay hours packed with fully customizable characters, an advanced NPC AI system, and more side-missions than you can shake a steel sword +2 at. Cancel all your appointments before taking this one on.

meh nothing to excited about yet. lack of fighting games, i'm kind of looking toward selling my ps3, its already boxed up selling it for 600 with a game. i might get it later once the price drop. no i'm not a wii fan or 360 troll.